U.S. patent application number 12/951503 was filed with the patent office on 2012-01-26 for assisted service terminal.
Invention is credited to Kisan Choutapelly, John Hall, Fiona McDade.
Application Number | 20120023028 12/951503 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45494379 |
Filed Date | 2012-01-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120023028 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
McDade; Fiona ; et
al. |
January 26, 2012 |
ASSISTED SERVICE TERMINAL
Abstract
An assisted service terminal is described. The terminal
comprises a currency dispenser; and an operator computer coupled to
the currency dispenser. The operator computer includes: (i) an
agent arranged to communicate status information to a remote
management system, and (ii) a dashboard application. The dashboard
application is arranged to (a) receive status messages from the
currency dispenser indicative of a fault in the currency dispenser,
(b) present the received status messages to an operator, and (c)
notify the agent to issue a request to create an incident on the
remote management system in response to the operator indicating
that the fault cannot be resolved without a visit from a service
engineer.
Inventors: |
McDade; Fiona; (Dundee,
GB) ; Hall; John; (Angus, GB) ; Choutapelly;
Kisan; (Hyderabad, IN) |
Family ID: |
45494379 |
Appl. No.: |
12/951503 |
Filed: |
November 22, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
705/305 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 9/023 20130101;
G07F 19/209 20130101; G07F 19/206 20130101; G06Q 10/20
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/305 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 10/00 20060101
G06Q010/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 26, 2010 |
IN |
2120/CHE/2010 |
Claims
1. An assisted service terminal comprising: a currency dispenser;
and an operator computer coupled to the currency dispenser, the
operator computer including: (i) an agent arranged to communicate
status information to a remote management system; and (ii) a
dashboard application arranged to (a) receive status messages from
the currency dispenser indicative of a fault therein, (b) present
the received status messages to an operator, and (c) notify the
agent to issue a request to create an incident on the remote
management system in response to the operator indicating that the
fault cannot be resolved without a visit from a service
engineer.
2. An assisted service terminal according to claim 1, wherein the
operator computer further comprises (iii) a control application
arranged to control the operation of the currency dispenser and to
provide a user interface to the operator.
3. An assisted service terminal according to claim 1, wherein the
dashboard application is arranged to receive status messages
directly from the currency dispenser.
4. An assisted service terminal according to claim 1, wherein the
dashboard application is arranged to receive status messages
relating to the currency dispenser from a communication channel
proxy connected to both the currency dispenser and the control
application.
5. An assisted service terminal according to claim 1, wherein the
agent comprises a simple network management protocol status
agent.
6. An assisted service terminal according to claim 1, wherein the
agent and the dashboard application are provided as components of a
status monitoring application.
7. An assisted service terminal according to claim 1, wherein the
dashboard application is arranged to notify the agent to issue a
request to create an incident on a remote management system
indirectly by creating an event in a repository monitored by the
agent.
8. A method of operating an assisted service terminal, the method
comprising: receiving a status message relating to a currency
dispenser, where the status message is indicative of a fault in the
currency dispenser; providing details of the fault to an operator
of the assisted service terminal to allow the operator to attempt
to correct the fault; sending an updated status message from the
assisted service terminal in the event that the operator has
corrected the fault; and sending a request for a service engineer
to correct the fault in response to a selection by the operator
indicating that the operator cannot correct the fault.
9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the method comprises the
further step of confirming to the operator that a request for a
service engineer has been dispatched.
10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the step of confirming
to the operator that a request for a service engineer has been
dispatched includes displaying an incident code to the operator
and/or providing an estimated time when the service engineer will
arrive.
11. A managed terminal system comprising: a central management
system for managing a plurality of terminals; and an assisted
service terminal coupled to the central management system by a
network; wherein the assisted service terminal comprises a currency
dispenser, and an operator computer coupled to the currency
dispenser, the operator computer including: (i) an agent arranged
to communicate status information to the central management system,
and (ii) a dashboard application arranged to (a) receive status
messages from the agent indicative of a fault in the currency
dispenser, (b) present the received status messages to an operator,
and (c) notify the agent to issue a request to create an incident
on the central management system in response to the operator
indicating that the fault cannot be resolved without a visit from a
service engineer.
12. A managed terminal system according to claim 11, wherein the
managed terminal system further comprises a self-service
terminal.
13. A managed terminal system according to claim 12, wherein the
self-service terminal comprises an automated teller machine.
14. A managed terminal system according to claim 11, wherein the
central management system creates an incident in response to any
status information indicating a fault in the currency
dispenser.
15. A managed terminal system according to claim 11, wherein the
central management system closes an incident in response to any
status information indicating that a previously reported fault in
the currency dispenser has now been corrected.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to improvements in or relating
to assisted service terminals.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0002] An assisted service terminal (AST) is a networked device
that is operated (periodically or continuously) by a staff member
who is trained to use that device. Unlike a self-service terminal,
it is not designed to be operated primarily by untrained customers,
but by trained members of staff.
[0003] Self-service terminals (SSTs) typically include a mechanism
for automatically reporting status information (including faults
and errors) to a remote management system. Such systems can be very
effective for SSTs because every fault that cannot be rectified
automatically by the SST eventually needs a service engineer to
visit the SST to correct the fault. However, ASTs are operated by a
trained user, so automated dispatch of a service engineer to
correct a fault is not always appropriate.
[0004] It is among the objects of an embodiment of the present
invention to provide an improved mechanism for reporting status
information (including faults and errors) for an AST to a remote
management system.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0005] Accordingly, the invention generally provides methods,
systems, apparatus, and software for improved assisted service
terminal fault handling.
[0006] In addition to the Summary of Invention provided above and
the subject matter disclosed below in the Detailed Description, the
following paragraphs of this section are intended to provide
further basis for alternative claim language for possible use
during prosecution of this application, if required. If this
application is granted, some aspects may relate to claims added
during prosecution of this application, other aspects may relate to
claims deleted during prosecution, other aspects may relate to
subject matter never claimed. Furthermore, the various aspects
detailed hereinafter are independent of each other, except where
stated otherwise. Any claim corresponding to one aspect should not
be construed as incorporating any element or feature of the other
aspects unless explicitly stated in that claim.
[0007] According to a first aspect there is provided an assisted
service terminal comprising:
[0008] a currency dispenser; and
[0009] an operator computer coupled to the currency dispenser, the
operator computer including: (i) an agent arranged to communicate
status information to a remote management system; (ii) a dashboard
application arranged to (a) receive status messages from the
currency dispenser indicative of a fault therein, (b) present the
received status messages to an operator, and (c) notify the agent
to issue a request to create an incident on the remote management
system in response to the operator indicating that the fault cannot
be resolved without a visit from a service engineer.
[0010] The operator computer may further comprise (iii) a control
application arranged to control the operation of the currency
dispenser and to provide a user interface to the operator.
[0011] The currency dispenser may also include a deposit facility
that allows deposited currency to be dispensed in a subsequent
transaction; in other words, the currency dispenser may comprise a
currency recycler.
[0012] The dashboard application may present an option on a
graphical user interface enabling the operator to indicate that the
fault cannot be resolved without a visit from a service engineer
and thereby request a visit from the service engineer.
[0013] The dashboard application may be arranged to receive status
messages directly from the currency dispenser. Alternatively, the
dashboard application may be arranged to receive status messages
relating to the currency dispenser from a communication channel
proxy connected to both the currency dispenser and the control
application.
[0014] The dashboard application may be arranged to notify the
agent to issue a request to create an incident on a remote
management system directly or indirectly. An indirect notification
may include creating a management event in a repository monitored
by the agent, so that when the management event is created, the
agent transmits status information based on that management event.
One example of a management event is a WMI event.
[0015] The remote management system may create an incident in
response to any status message indicating a fault in the currency
recycler. The remote management system may close an incident in
response to any status message indicating that a previously
reported fault in the currency recycler has now been corrected.
Such a status message may be generated in response to the operator
selecting an option on the dashboard application indicating that
the fault has been resolved.
[0016] The remote management system may delay dispatch of a service
engineer until a defined time has elapsed without the previously
reported fault being corrected. The defined time may be, for
example, approximately one hour. This may be useful in management
systems that manage both SSTs and ASTs, and that cannot easily
distinguish between these two types of terminals. Alternatively,
the remote management system may not dispatch a service engineer
until it receives a specific dispatch request from an AST. This may
be useful where the management system can recognise that a
particular reported fault was generated by an AST.
[0017] The agent may be a simple network management protocol (SNMP)
status agent that sends a trap each time a monitored device (such
as a WMI object, or the like) changes its state. Alternatively, the
agent may be a Web services component.
[0018] The agent and the dashboard application may be provided as
components of a status monitoring application.
[0019] The status monitoring application may further comprise a
communication channel proxy for intercepting messages transmitted
between the control application and the currency recycler and
copying these messages to the dashboard application. This would
allow the dashboard application and the agent to be used in a
system that includes a third party control application.
[0020] The currency recycler preferably includes recycler
controller (including firmware) for controlling internal components
within the currency recycler and reporting status information to
the control application.
[0021] The status monitoring application may include a notification
filter to allow a user (such as a configuration engineer) of the
assisted service terminal to select what types of status
notifications are presented to the operator.
[0022] The status monitoring application may include a message
filter to allow a user of the assisted service terminal to select
what type of status information (for example, errors, inventory,
and the like) is transmitted to the remote management system.
[0023] This aspect has the advantage that a user of the assisted
service terminal can configure the terminal so that the operator is
informed of every error that occurs in the currency recycler. A
remote management system is preferably also informed of every error
so that an incident can be created and there is a complete record
of every error. However, if the operator corrects the error then
the operator can trigger a message to be sent automatically to
close the created incident, thereby ensuring that no service
engineer is dispatched. This ensures that both the operator and the
management system can be made aware of all errors (or all relevant
errors, if configured to filter out some errors), but no service
engineer is dispatched where a local resolution is achieved,
thereby saving valuable resources.
[0024] By enabling the operator to request a visit from a service
engineer (for example, using an agent (a software component)), the
remote management system can receive automated requests from
self-service terminals (such as ATMs) on the same interface as
requests from operators of assisted service terminals. This
simplifies management of mixed networks (including both
self-service terminals and assisted service terminals) by using a
single remote management system.
[0025] According to a second aspect there is provided a method of
operating an assisted service terminal, the method comprising:
[0026] receiving a status message from a currency dispenser, where
the status message is indicative of a fault therein;
[0027] providing details of the fault to an operator of the
assisted service terminal to allow the operator to attempt to
correct the fault;
[0028] sending an updated status message from the assisted service
terminal in the event that the operator has corrected the fault;
and
[0029] sending a request for a service engineer to correct the
fault in response to a selection by the operator indicating that
the operator cannot correct the fault.
[0030] The method may comprise the further step of confirming to
the operator that a request for a service engineer has been
dispatched.
[0031] The step of receiving a status message from a currency
dispenser may comprise the step of receiving a status message from
a currency recycler, where the status message is indicative of a
fault in the currency recycler.
[0032] The step of sending an updated status message from the
assisted service terminal may include: automatically detecting that
the fault has been corrected, and sending the updated status
message in response to this automatic detection. Alternatively, the
step of sending an updated status message from the assisted service
terminal may include: detecting an operator input indicating that
the fault has been corrected, and sending the updated status
message in response to this detected operator input.
[0033] The step of confirming to the operator that a request for a
service engineer has been dispatched may include displaying an
incident code to the operator and/or providing an estimated time
when the service engineer will arrive.
[0034] According to a third aspect there is provided a managed
terminal system comprising:
[0035] a central management system for managing a plurality of
terminals; and
[0036] an assisted service terminal coupled to the central
management system by a network; [0037] wherein the assisted service
terminal comprises a currency dispenser, and an operator computer
coupled to the currency dispenser, the operator computer including:
(i) an agent arranged to communicate status information to the
central management system, and (ii) a dashboard application
arranged to (a) receive status messages from the currency dispenser
indicative of a fault in the currency dispenser, (b) present the
received status messages to an operator, and (c) notify the agent
to issue a request to create an incident on the central management
system in response to the operator indicating that the fault cannot
be resolved without a visit from a service engineer.
[0038] The operator computer may further comprise (iii) a control
application arranged to control the operation of the currency
dispenser and to provide a user interface to the operator.
[0039] The currency dispenser may comprise a currency recycler.
[0040] The managed terminal system may further comprise a
self-service terminal. The self-service terminal may be an
automated teller machine (ATM).
[0041] According to a fourth aspect there is provided a computer
program comprising program instructions for (i) receiving status
messages from a currency dispenser indicative of a fault therein,
(ii) presenting the received status messages to an operator, and
(iii) detecting the operator indicating that the fault cannot be
resolved without a visit from a service engineer, and (iv) issuing
a request to create an incident on a remote management system.
[0042] The computer program may be executing in computer memory,
embodied on a storage medium, or transmitted on a carrier.
[0043] For clarity and simplicity of description, not all
combinations of elements provided in the aspects recited above have
been set forth expressly. Notwithstanding this, the skilled person
will directly and unambiguously recognise that unless it is not
technically possible, or it is explicitly stated to the contrary,
the consistory clauses referring to one aspect are intended to
apply mutatis mutandis as optional features of every other aspect
to which those consistory clauses could possibly relate.
[0044] These and other aspects will be apparent from the following
specific description, given by way of example, with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0045] FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of an assisted service
terminal (AST) according to one embodiment of the present
invention;
[0046] FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram illustrating how
software components within the AST interact;
[0047] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a managed network
including a plurality of ASTs of FIG. 1 and a plurality of
self-service terminals (SSTs);
[0048] FIG. 4 is a simplified flow diagram illustrating a detected
fault being corrected by an operator of the AST of FIG. 1;
[0049] FIG. 5 is a pictorial diagram of an active window presented
to an operator of the AST of FIG. 1 when a fault is detected within
the AST;
[0050] FIG. 6 is a pictorial diagram of a graphical user interface
presented on the AST of FIG. 1 and describing the detected fault of
FIG. 4;
[0051] FIG. 7 is a simplified flow diagram illustrating a detected
fault that cannot be corrected by an operator of the AST of FIG. 1;
and
[0052] FIG. 8 is a pictorial diagram of a graphical user interface
presented on the AST of FIG. 1 indicating that a service engineer
has been called.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0053] Reference is first made to FIG. 1, which is a simplified,
block diagram of a terminal 10, in the form of an assisted service
terminal (AST), according to one embodiment of the present
invention.
[0054] The AST 10 comprises a currency recycler 12 coupled to an
operator computer 14. One suitable currency recycler is the NCR
6610 (trade mark) Teller Cash Recycler (TCR) currency recycler
available from NCR Corporation, 3097 Satellite Blvd., Duluth, Ga.
30096, U.S.A.
[0055] The currency recycler 12 comprises a plurality of
components, but only the components relevant to this embodiment are
shown in FIG. 1 because currency recyclers are well known to those
of skill in the art. These components include: banknote storage
modules, transport arrangements, a banknote entrance aperture, and
a banknote exit aperture, collectively referred to as the "currency
handling components" and shown as block 20 in FIG. 1. These
components also include: a currency recycler controller programmed
with firmware, collectively referred to as the "programmed TCR
controller" 22; and a communications facility 24 in the form of a
pair of USB ports (24a and 24b) and an associated software stack.
The pair of USB ports 24 allow two different operator computers 14
to control the currency recycler 12, with each operator computer 14
relinquishing control of the currency recycler 12 at the end of
each transaction so that the other operator computer 14 can take
control of the currency recycler 12 for a transaction.
[0056] The programmed TCR controller 22 is responsible for
controlling the operation of the currency recycler 12 and also for
monitoring the devices (including various sensors) within the
currency recycler 12 for any status changes or changes during
operation that should be reported to the operator computer 14.
[0057] The operator computer 14 is based on a conventional personal
computer and comprises: a core controller 30, a display 32, a card
reader 34 (which is optional), a keyboard 36 for inputting data, a
printer 38 (optional), a network connection module 40 (in the form
of an enhanced network connection) for accessing a remote
management system (not shown in FIG. 1) via a private IP network
(not shown in FIG. 1), and a set of USB ports 42.
[0058] The core controller 30 comprises a Basic Input/Output System
(BIOS) 50 stored in non-volatile memory, a microprocessor 52, main
memory 54, data storage 56 in the form of a magnetic disk drive,
and a display controller 58 in the form of a graphics card.
[0059] The display 32 is connected to the core controller 30 via
the graphics card 58 installed in the core controller 30. The other
devices (34 to 40) are connected to the core controller 30 via a
device bus 60 and one or more internal controller buses 62.
[0060] When the operator computer 14 is powered up, the main memory
54 is loaded with an operating system 68, a control application 70,
a status monitor application 72, all of which are stored on the
magnetic disk drive 56.
[0061] The operating system 68 is a conventional Microsoft XP
(trade mark) operating system, although any convenient operating
system may be used.
[0062] In this embodiment, the control application 70 is the Aptra
Cash Connect (trade mark) control application, available from NCR
Corporation, 3097 Satellite Blvd., Duluth, Ga. 30096, U.S.A. As is
known in the art, the control application 70 provides an operator
at the operator computer 14 with a graphical user interface (GUI)
including a sequence of screens (an application flow) to execute
transactions (such as currency dispense and currency deposit) at
the currency recycler 12.
[0063] The status monitor application 72 comprises a plurality of
components, as illustrated in FIG. 2. These components include: a
communication channel proxy 73; a message filter 74; a TCR monitor
component 75; a monitor graphical user interface (GUI) 76
associated with the TCR monitor component 75; a WMI component 77;
and an SNMP agent 78. The combination of the TCR monitor component
75 and the monitor GUI 76 may be referred to as the dashboard
application 79.
[0064] The communication channel proxy 73 is connected to both the
currency recycler 12 (specifically the programmed TCR controller
22) and the control application 70 so that all messages transmitted
from the programmed TCR controller 22 to the control application
70, and from the control application 70 to the programmed TCR
controller 22, are routed through the communication channel proxy
73.
[0065] The communication channel proxy 73 ensures that all messages
transmitted from the programmed TCR controller 22 are sent to the
control application 70 (and vice versa). However, the communication
channel proxy 76 also sends some messages (referred to herein as
"filtered messages") from the programmed TCR controller 22 to the
TCR monitor component 75 (in addition to sending those messages to
the control application 70).
[0066] The communication channel proxy 73 knows which messages to
copy to the TCR monitor component 75 (the filtered messages)
because the message filter 74 identifies those messages (based on
defined criteria) and informs the communication channel proxy 73
that they should be copied to the TCR monitor component 75.
[0067] The message filter 74 is configurable (that is, the defined
criteria can be changed), so that the type of messages that will be
copied by the communication channel proxy 73 to the TCR monitor
component 75 can be selected by a user. For example, the message
filter 74 may be configured to identify both error messages and
inventory messages. Alternatively, the message filter 74 may be
configured to identify only error messages, or only a sub-set of
available error messages. In this embodiment, only error messages
are identified. These error messages include status codes
identifying the type of error detected.
[0068] The TCR monitor component 75 receives copies of filtered
messages and updates the WMI component 77 in response to those
filtered messages. This involves populating WMI class properties
and raising a WMI event (all contained within the WMI component
77). This WMI event is detected by the SNMP agent 78, which
monitors for WMI events.
[0069] The SNMP agent 78 sends traps to a remote management system
(not shown) via the network connection 40 in response to detected
WMI events.
[0070] Reference will now also be made to FIG. 3, which is a block
diagram illustrating a mixed terminal managed network 80 comprising
a central management system 82 coupled to a plurality of ASTs (only
two of which are illustrated in FIG. 2) 10a,b and a plurality of
ATMs (only two of which are illustrated in FIG. 2) 84a,b by a
private IP network 86. A transaction host 88 is also coupled to the
terminals 10,84 by the private IP network 86 to provide transaction
services to the terminals 10,84.
[0071] In this embodiment, the management system 82 is based on a
Gasper Vantage (trade mark) management system that includes an SNMP
manager plug-in and a currency recycler plug-in. The Gasper Vantage
(trade mark) management system is available from NCR
Corporation.
[0072] The operation of the dashboard application 78 within the
operator computer 14 will now be described with reference to FIG.
4, which is a flow diagram illustrating a detected fault being
corrected by an operator of the AST 10.
[0073] Initially, the currency recycler 12 detects a fault (step
100) in one of its components. The currency recycler 12
(specifically the programmed TCR controller 22) notifies the
operator computer 14 (specifically the control application 70) of
this fault (step 102) via the communication channel proxy 73.
[0074] The message filter 74 indicates to the communication channel
proxy 73 that this communication should also be copied to the TCR
monitor 75. The communication channel proxy 73 then transmits the
fault message to both the control application 70 and the TCR
monitor 75 (step 104).
[0075] The TCR monitor 75 populates WMI class properties based on
the contents of the message and creates a WMI event (step 106)
indicating the nature of the fault.
[0076] The SNMP agent 78 detects the WMI event and transmits a trap
(including details of the fault) to the management system 82 (step
108). All communications between the operator computer 14 and the
management system 82 are via the SNMP agent 78.
[0077] The management system 82 and the dashboard application 79
process the fault notification in parallel, although it will be
described sequentially herein.
[0078] The management system 82 uses the fault notification to add
the fault to its fault log (step 110). The fault log contains a
list of all faults reported by every terminal 10,84 on the managed
network 80, irrespective of whether the faults are resolved without
having to dispatch a service engineer.
[0079] The management system 82 then creates an incident based on
this fault (step 112). The incident is assigned low priority at the
time of creation, for reasons that will become clear hereafter.
[0080] Meanwhile, the dashboard application 79 (in particular, the
monitor GUI 76) displays the fault notification to the operator on
the display 32 (step 120). The dashboard application 79 normally
executes as a background service, and can be opened up by clicking
on a dashboard icon on a system tray of a GUI of the operating
system 68. When a fault has occurred, the dashboard icon indicates
this visually by an exclamation mark in front of (overlaying) the
dashboard icon on the system tray. The dashboard application 79
also creates an active window (a dialog box) alerting the operator
to the fault, as shown in FIG. 5, in response to the operator
clicking on the dashboard icon.
[0081] This active window 90 contains a basic information field 92
that presents basic information to the operator about the nature of
the fault. In a similar manner as for conventional dialog boxes,
the active window 90 can be cancelled by clicking on an "OK"
control 94 or on the "x" control at the top of the box.
[0082] One of the primary functions of the active window 90 is to
alert the operator to the fault so that the operator will click on
the dashboard icon in the system tray to obtain more detailed
information about the fault by opening the dashboard application 79
(specifically the monitor GUI 76).
[0083] Reference will now also be made to FIG. 6, which is a
pictorial illustration of a dashboard application screen 96. The
screen 96 shows a description field 97 comprising information about
the nature, time, and date of the fault. The description field 97
also includes the status code ("050" in this example) that was
received from the SNMP agent message.
[0084] In this embodiment, the control application 70 (which is
independent of the dashboard application 79) includes (or has
access to) multi-media content that can provide step-by-step
instructions for correcting common faults in the currency recycler
12. However, the operator must use the control application 70 to
access that information.
[0085] The dashboard application 79 includes (or has access to) a
TCR status code table that maps status codes that are sent by the
programmed TCR controller 22 into fault descriptions for presenting
to the operator. This allows the dashboard application 79
(specifically the monitor GUI 76) to provide a human operator with
a description of the fault, for example, "bill left in the input
hopper", or "currency exit is blocked", and other information (such
as a time at which the fault was detected) in the description field
97.
[0086] The operator then attempts to correct this fault (step 122).
In this example, the operator is successful.
[0087] The operator can then highlight the fault that is still
displayed on the dashboard application 79 (even though the fault
has now been cleared), and select an "Issue Resolved" option 98
(step 124) on the dashboard application screen 96. There may be
multiple faults displayed by the dashboard application 79. For
example, the operator may defer resolving one fault until another
event has occurred, during which time, a further fault may
develop.
[0088] Selection of the "Issue Resolved" option 98 causes the TCR
monitor 75 to create a WMI event relating to that fault (step
126).
[0089] The SNMP agent 78 detects this WMI event and transmits a
"Fault Cleared" message to the management system 82 (step 128).
[0090] The management system 82 receives this "Fault Cleared"
message and updates its message log to indicate that the fault has
been resolved and clears the incident that was created for the
fault (step 130). Depending on how the management system 82
operates, clearing the incident may involve updating the status of
the incident as closed, cancelling the incident, or deleting the
incident.
[0091] Reference will now also be made to FIG. 7, which is a flow
diagram illustrating a detected fault that cannot be corrected by
an operator of the AST 10.
[0092] Steps 100 to 120 of FIG. 7 are identical to the
corresponding steps of FIG. 4, so will not be described again.
However, in FIG. 7, once the fault has been presented to the
operator on the display 32, the operator either attempts to correct
the fault and fails, or does not attempt to correct the fault (for
example, because the fault relates to a component that the operator
cannot access or is not authorized to access); either way, the
fault is not corrected (step 140).
[0093] The operator then highlights the fault on the dashboard
application screen 96 and selects a "Call for Service Engineer"
option 99 (FIG. 6) (step 142).
[0094] Selection of the "Call for Service Engineer" option 99
causes the TCR monitor 75 to create a WMI event relating to that
fault (step 144).
[0095] The SNMP agent 78 detects this WMI event and transmits a
"Service Call Needed" message to the management system 82 (step
146).
[0096] The management system 82 receives this "Service Call Needed"
message and updates its message log to indicate that the fault has
not been resolved and escalates the incident that was created for
the fault (step 150) so that a service engineer will be dispatched
without delay.
[0097] Once the Service Call Needed message has been sent, the
monitor GUI 76 updates the dashboard screen 96 to show a dialog box
160 (see FIG. 8, which is a pictorial diagram of a graphical user
interface presented on the display 32) indicating to the operator
that a service engineer has been called.
[0098] If the operator manages to resolve the fault subsequent to
sending the "Service Call Needed" message, then the operator can
still select the "Issue Resolved" option 98 and clear the escalated
incident thereby cancelling the request for a visit from the
service engineer.
[0099] If the service engineer arrives and resolves the fault, then
the service engineer (or the operator) can select the Issue
Resolved" option 98 to clear the escalated incident. Alternatively,
the service engineer may clear the escalated incident using any
other convenient technique, such as calling an incident desk at the
remote management system 82, or sending an email or text to the
remote management system 82 indicating that the fault has now been
resolved.
[0100] It will now be appreciated that this embodiment has the
advantage that an assisted service terminal can be coupled to an
automated management system that can manage both self-service
terminals (such as automated teller machines) and assisted service
terminals using a message agent system. The operator is informed of
all faults on the currency recycler, so that those faults that can
be corrected locally by the operator are corrected, without
requiring a visit from a service engineer.
[0101] Various modifications may be made to the above described
embodiment within the scope of the invention, for example, in other
embodiments, the agent may be a different type of agent than an
SNMP agent, for example, a Web services agent may be used.
[0102] In other embodiments, a currency dispenser may be used
instead of the currency recycler. The currency dispenser may
dispense coins and/or banknotes. Similarly, the currency recycler
may also receive and dispense coins and/or banknotes.
[0103] In other embodiments, the programmed TCR controller may be a
personal computer.
[0104] In other embodiments, the communications facilities 24,42
may be RS232 ports, Ethernet cards, or the like.
[0105] In other embodiments, instead of providing a GUI, the
dashboard application 79 may provide a command and response
text-based interface.
[0106] In other embodiments, any additional errors or alerts
encountered by the control application 70 may be monitored so that
a trap is sent to the remote management system to indicate the
status of the control application 70.
[0107] In other embodiments, the management system may be a
different system to that described above.
[0108] In other embodiments, the assisted service terminals may not
handle currency, they may handle gaming tickets, coupons, passes,
or the like.
[0109] In other embodiments, the remote management system may
communicate with the AST 10 by sending messages to the agent 78, in
addition to receiving messages from the agent 78.
[0110] In other embodiments, an event (such as a trap) may be
triggered when the control application 70 relinquishes control of
the currency recycler 12. This would allow the remote management
system 82 to know when it could control the currency recycler 12,
for example, to request the currency recycler 12 to perform an
operation (such as a self-test); thereby enabling the remote
management system to control the currency recycler 12 without using
the control application 70.
[0111] In other embodiments, the dashboard application 79 may
include, or have access to, multi-media content for guiding an
operator through a series of steps to correct a fault that has been
detected.
[0112] In other embodiments, the currency recycler may
automatically detect a change in status of the device that was
previously faulty, so that a new status notification can be sent to
the remote management system without the operator having to request
such a notification to be sent.
[0113] In other embodiments, the status messages may include
unsolicited event messages in addition to responses to
commands.
[0114] In other embodiments, the dashboard application 79 may be
directly connected to the remote management system 82 so that error
messages (or the like) can be transmitted directly thereto without
having to route through the agent 78.
[0115] The steps of the methods described herein may be carried out
in any suitable order, or simultaneously where appropriate. The
methods described herein may be performed by software in machine
readable form on a tangible storage medium or as a propagating
signal.
[0116] The terms "comprising", "including", "incorporating", and
"having" are used herein to recite an open-ended list of one or
more elements or steps, not a closed list. When such terms are
used, those elements or steps recited in the list are not exclusive
of other elements or steps that may be added to the list.
[0117] Unless otherwise indicated by the context, the terms "a" and
"an" are used herein to denote at least one of the elements,
integers, steps, features, operations, or components mentioned
thereafter, but do not exclude additional elements, integers,
steps, features, operations, or components.
* * * * *